Welded anchor block



Sept. 26, 1939. P. HOFFMAN WELDED ANCHOR BLOCK Filed Dec. 7, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet l mv NT ATTORNEY P. HOFFMAN WELDED ANCHOR BLOCK Sept. 26,1939,

Filed Dec. 7, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 /i T RNW Patented Sept. 26, 1939UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELDED ANCHOR BLOCK Application December '7,1937, Serial No. 178,503

6 Claims.

The invention relates to railroad. track equipment and, moreparticularly, to anchor blocks, such as are used for connecting thefixed and movable wing rails of railway frogs.

Heretofore, it has been the practice commercially to make anchor blockseither of cast steel or of plate forgings. Diificulty has beenencountered in the past in obtaining smooth riding joints between thewing rails and the stock rails. The cast steel or plate forged anchorblocks heretofore used have not been able to provide track joints atthis point as good as the ordinary track joint between stock rails. Theinvention, in its preferred form, overcomes this difficulty by usingstandard rolled steel angle bars or fish plates for connecting the wingrails to the stock rails. These angle bars are connected by a heavyrolled steel plate suitably welded to the bases of the angle bars.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one type of spring frog with which theinvention may be used;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the toe block according to theinvention connected to its wing and stock rails;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the toe block by itself.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended tobe as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes ofexplanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modifiedin various respects without departure from the broad aspect of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly,.to Fig. 1, theinvention is shown applied to one well known type of spring frog. Itwill be understood, however, that the invention has other applicationsand that it may be used with other types of frogs of either the springtype or the fixed type.

In Fig. 1 the usual railroad ties are denoted by I II and. the tieplates on which the frogs rest are denoted, in general, by I I. Themovable wing rail is denoted by I2 and the fixed wing rail by I3. Thepoint rails are denoted by I4 and I5 and the frog point by I6. The pointrails I4 and I5 are shown broken away because of space limitations, butit will be understood that these rails are connected to the stock railsin the usual manner.

The movable wing rail I2 is connected to the stock rail IT by a hingedor movable joint I9 and the fixed wing rail I3 is connected to stockrail I8 by fixed joint 20. The joints I9 and 20 are formed, in part, bythe novel toe block 21, which will be described hereinafter more indetail.

The frog is provided with the usual spacer block 2! between point railsI4 and I5 and spacer block 22 between the frog point I6 and the fixedwing rail I3 to provide a main line flangeway for the flanges of wheelsrunning through the frog on the main line. The movable wing rail 42slides on its tie plates I I and is provided with hold down guideassemblies 23, spring assemblies 25 and 26, and a stop 24. These detailsof construction will be obvious to those skilled in the art who willunderstand that these parts are suitably bolted or otherwise connectedtogether in such manner that for trains traveling on the branch line,the wheel flanges will force the movable wing rail I2 laterally,permitting the wheel flanges to pass between the frog point It and wingrail I2.

It will be understood that the main line track constitutes stock railI'I, wing rail 52, frog point I6 and point rail I5, while the branchline track constitutes stock rail I8, wing rail I3, frog point I6 andpoint rail I4.

Referring now to Figs. 2-4, the anchor block 2'! comprises a pair oftoeless angle bars 3| and 32 connected by a tapered plate 33. Thetoeless angle bars may be of standard construction and the. same as usedfor ordinary joints between stock rails. These angle bars are of rolledstock and in the form shown comprise fishing portions 34 and 35engageable with the fishing surfaces of the rail head 31 and base flange38. These angle bars have a recess 36 which clears the web of the railto permit unobstructed wedgingaction between the fishing surfaces of theangle bar and the fishing surfaces of the rail.

The plate 33 is made of heavy rolled steel and is tapered according tothe angle of the frog. This plate is welded to the lower flanges of theangle bar in any well known or desirable manner. However, it isimportant to obtain a strong weld between the plate 33 and angle bars 3Iand 32 so that the resulting structure is for all intents and purposes aone-piece block.

In the weld shown for purposes of illustration, the edges of the plate33 and of the base flanges of the angle bars 3|, 32 are recessed or cutaway to receive the welding material 40. This type of welded joint maybe used on the top surface alone or it may be used on both the top andbottom surface as indicated. The line of welding 40 may extendcontinuously along the joint between the angle bars and the base plateor it may be interrupted at predetermined intervals to make the jointmore durable.

The main line joint I9 and branch line joint 20 have outer angle bars43, 44 which may be of the same general construction as the angle bars3|, 32. The branch line joint 29 is a fixed or rigid joint and is madeup of stock rail I8, wing rail I3, angle bars 32 and 44 and bolts 45.The bolts 45 clamp the rails I3 and I8 firmly together between the anglebars 32 and 44, the fishing surface of the angle bars engaging thefishing surface of the rails with a wedge-like action forming a smoothjoint for traffic at this point.

The movable joint I9 is made up of movable wing rail I2, stock rail I1,angle bars 3I, 43 and bolts 46 and 4?. Referring especially to Fig. 2,it will be noted that the end 48 of angle bar 43 is defiected slightlyto permit slight angular movement of the movable wing rail I2. A thimble49 (Fig. 3) passes through a hole in the wing rail I2 and surrounds oneof the bolts 41 and the resulting assembly tightly clamps the angle bars3| and 43 together, but permits a small limited movement of the wingrail I2.

It will be noted especially that the extreme end of the wing rail I2partakes of no lateral movement but only a slight rotary movement and inall cases remains tightly wedged between the angle bars 3I and 43 sothat the end of the wing rail I2 receives firms and efficient support bythe engagement of the fishing surfaces of the angle irons with thefishing surfaces of the rail at all times irrespective of the angularmovement of the wing rail I2. In addition, the wing rail I2 has fishingsurface support from the free end of one of the angle bars 3I or 43depending upon which way the wing rail is moved.

Thus an anchor block is provided which provides true fishing surfacesupport to the joints between the stock rails and wing rails of thefrog. At the same time, the main purpose of the anchor block anchoringthe two wing rails and of holding them in the proper relation isobtained. The advantages of an anchor block of rolled stock is obtainedas to strength, reliability, performance and cheapness of construction.It is comparatively inexpensive to take two standard angle bars, cut aheavy plate to the proper taper and weld these parts together.

The present construction is superior to those heretofore used in thatfor the first time true fishing surface support is obtained at the toeblock joints. These joints will now stand up as long as the regulartrack joints between stock rails and have as easy riding qualities. Thisincreased smoothness is of great importance with the present high speedtrain operations.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a track construction, a frog having a frog point and wing rails,stock rails, joints connecting said stock rails to said wing rails, saidjoints including an anchor block forming part of said joints, saidanchor block comprising side plates made of standard rolled fish platesand a base plate having tapered edges and made from a rolled plate, saidbase plate being rigidly welded to the bases of said fish plates, eachjoint also having an outer fish plate, all said fish plates havingprojecting fishing portions engaging the fishing surfaces of the wing rals and stock rails and having clearance spaces opposite the webs andfillets of said rails, and bolts clamping the stock rail and wing railof each joint between their respective fish plates.

2. In track construction, a frog having a frog point and wing rails,stock rails, joints connecting said stock rails to said wing rails, saidjoints ineluding an anchor block forming part of said joints, saidanchor block comprising side plates made of standard, rolled toelessangle bars and a base plate having converging edges and made from arolled flat plate, said angle bars being 1w disposed with their baseangle portions facing each other, said base plate being rigidly weldedto the lower angle portions of said angle bars, each joint also havingan outer angle bar, said angle bars having projecting fishing portions 3engaging the fishing surfaces of the wing rails and stock rails andhaving clearance spaces opposite the webs and fillets of said rails, andbolts connecting the angle bars of each joint with its respective stockrail and wing rail therebetween.

3. In a spring frog construction, a frog point, a movable wing rail, afixed wing rail, stock rails, joints connecting said stock rails to saidwing rails, each joint having a set of inner and outer standard, rolledfish plates engaging the fishing surfaces of its respective wing railand stock rail, and a base plate rigidly welded to bases of the innerfish plates, said base plate and inner fish plates forming an anchorblock for holding said wing rails and the stock rails connected theretoin proper relation.

4. An anchor block for spring frogs and the like comprising side platesand a base plate, said side plates being made from standard, rolled fishplates, said fish plates having upper and lower fishing surfaces adaptedto engage the fishing surfaces of the contacting rails, said fish plateshaving clearance spaces between said fishing surfaces cpposite thefillets and web of the rails, said base plate made from rolled stock andhaving converging side edges rigidly welded to the bases of said fishplates.

5. An anchor block for spring frogs and the like comprising side platesmade from standard, rolled, toeless angle bars, said angle bars havingupper and lower flanges carrying fishing surfaces adapted to engage thefishing surfaces of the contacting rails, said angle bars havingclearance spaces between their fishing surfaces opposite the fillets andweb of the rails, said angle bars having base angle portions facing eachother, and a base plate made from rolled stock and having convergingside edges rigidly welded to the said angle portions.

6. In a spring frog, a frog point having lead rails connected thereto, afixed wing rail held in fixed relation to said frog point and providinga main line flangeway therebetween, a movable Wing rail, spring devicesnormally holding said movable wing rail against said frog point, mainline and branch line stock rails, a main line joint between said mainline stock rail and said movable wing rail, a branch line joint betweensaid branch line stock rail and said fixed wing rail, an anchor blockforming part of said joints, said anchor block comprising a base platehaving tapered side edges and main line and branch line side plateswelded to said edges, said side plates having outwardly projectingextensions carrying fishing surfaces, said branch line joint comprisingsaid branch line side plate, an outer fish plate, said branch line stockrail and said fixed Wing rail, bolts rigidly clamping said branch linestock rail and said fixed wing rail in true fishing surface engagementwith said branch line side plate and said fish plate, said main linejoint 7 comprising said main line side plate, an outer fish plate, saidmain line stock rail and said movable wing rail, a first set of boltspassing through said last mentioned fish plate and said main line sideplate rigidly clamping said main line stock rail therebetween, said lastmentioned fish plate being deflected outwardly and having a clearancehole, a nipple in said clearance hole between said main line side plateand the deflected part of said last mentioned fish plate, a second setof bolts passing through the deflected part and said main line sideplate for clamping said movable wing rail therebetween, one of saidsecond set of bolts passing through said nipple.

PAUL HOFFMAN.

